The group had clustered at the base of their Quinjet. Wolverine, Spider-Man, Black Widow were standing together, with Batman a bit to the side. Superman touched down next to them. “If you’re looking for the Infinity Stones, then we need to talk and it’s better we do it inside. There’s something I should show you.” He said. He turned when he saw another Quinjet in the distance coming towards them. “Friends of yours?” He asked.

“They should be.” Black Widow said, nodding.

“Captain America, Iron Man, and Black Panther were headed in this direction to search for another Infinity Stone, like we told you.” Wolverine said. “Didn't know you might have it, at the time. That could be them.”

Superman’s gaze shifted slightly, to look over at a tall mountain of ice. “No.” He said, shaking his head. “They’re on the top of the mountain over there, coming down towards us.” He pointed. He looked up at the Quinjet, as it neared them. “Whereas that vessel contains an Asgardian, a Human, and a Kree.” He said.

“A Kree?” Brady asked, curious. “What’s a Kree?”

It was Batman who responded. “Alien.” Batman said and looked over at Superman. “It could be a trap.”

The other man simply smiled. “I know you don't trust anything, but that doesn't mean everything is sleight of hand. Not everything is a trap.” Superman replied.

“Except for traps.” Batman and Wolverine said at the same time. Both men turned and looked at each other, and a silence descended over the gathering.

“Okay, I'll say it." Spider-Man said, a Waldo raised in the air in lieu of his hand. "This is awkward.” Spider-Man said.

The Quinjet descended near their own and landed. The boarding ramp extended and from it, Wonder Man, Mar’vyl, and Thor descended.

Thor's eyes lit up when he saw the group. “Praise Odin, tis a great thing for mine eyes to lay upon you all once more. I see you have gathered more comrades in arms. Good, we shall need them, especially after what we all came across on our quest for the Infinity Stone.” Thor said. He stepped up to Superman. “Man of Krypton, we have not broken bread since the battle with Derek Sheppard. It is good to see you in health.” He said.

“Odinson, it is good to see you as well.” Superman replied with a smile as the two clasped hands. “Derek Sheppard was a troubled man who needed help.” He said. “I did what I could, but we were all lucky that Mr. Miracle arrived.”

“Is this your leader?” Mar’vyl asked, indicating Superman. She was holding something in a box.

“Aye, it was, Son of Davis.” He said. “We were able to retrieve the stone, though it cost many lives, including that of Claire Huntley.” He pointed at Mar’vyl. “This Kree woman has it and she would have words with you and the iron one.”

“There is a reason, indeed.” Superman said. “You should come with me, into the Fortress. There are some of you who are indisposed to this kind of cold.” He said. He looked over at Batman. “After all, we have to talk to an old friend of mine.”

There was no reaction from Batman whose eyes were even as the group walked into the Fortress of Solitude. Within moments, they had entered the Fortress proper. Superman whistled, but at a frequency that humans could not hear. Only a few people did. Iron Man and Spider-Man’s armor picked up the frequency. It tickled the ears of Captain America and Batman. Wolverine picked it up.

Only the other person in the room who was not a human, Mar’vyl, heard it perfectly.

Though someone else did as well. But they weren’t a two legged creature.

Krypto came bounding around a corner, running up towards Ree and the group. He skidded to a stop in front of Ree and looked around at the group. The dog gave no reaction to Batman, who remained his normal mask of a visage.

“Kal-el found a gem floating in space during one of his travels.” Superman said.

Batman knew the story. He remembered when Ree had told it, to him and to Diana not too long ago.

“He had it analyzed, and there’s a weird energy signature about it.” Superman continued. “He could never fully identify the energy signature coming off of the gem. But he could tell there was something special about it, that it needed to be protected.” He said.

“What does that have to do with the mutt?” Wolverine asked.

Superman smiled and knelt, reaching onto Krypto’s collar. He unhooked the stone that hung there. “He decided to give it to someone who he knew could properly safeguard it.” Superman rose back to his full height and turned to the rest of the group. “I think this is why you’re here.”

“So you had an Infinity Stone this entire time and you gave it to a dog?” Wolverine asked.

Sean looked around the Fortress of Solitude. It was an impressive place, to say the least. There was so much to see he was amazed that Brady was able to pay attention to anything the group was talking about. Spider-Man’s innate curiosity often got him in trouble, but luckily it wasn’t trouble he hadn’t been able to get himself out of, thus far. Sean was looking at a moving painting of Krypton on the wall, when he saw Captain America walking up to him.

“Captain.” He said.

“What’s wrong?” Cap asked.

“What do you mean?”

“I can tell something’s bothering you.”

Sean shook his head. “I still feel a little weird from that space trip. I had to push myself in order to make that trip and the return trip just as much.” He looked over at the group and at Captain Mar’vyl. “I don’t know what happened with Claire, but she didn’t make it back. When I was in the Army, I didn’t like losing people, no matter how long I’d known them.”

Cap undid the straps of his helmet and lifted it from his head. He looked down at the logo on the helmet and nodded. “I know what you mean. I know how you feel.”

“All for a pebble.” Sean said, with a tired shrug. “We still don’t know what Thanos is coming with, what power he’s bringing with him. Forgive me, Cap, but we’re fighting blind. That may not bother someone like Burke, but it definitely bothers me.”

Benjamin clapped a hand on Sean’s shoulder. “Well, let’s talk about what we do know. We do know there are six Infinity Gems. And what’s further, we know that we have a lot of them. Power, Space, Soul, and Reality. That leaves two out there. Doom has one of them after he attacked Asgard. Thanos only has one.”

“Which means we have a tactical advantage.” Burke said, walking over to them. He’d been listening to the conversation as he’d done so. “He’s got to come to us.”

Benjamin sat in a chair at a table in the Vanguard headquarters. After receiving the stone from Superman, they had come back to DC. Superman had offered his support for whatever was needed, and Benjamin had asked him to keep a weather eye on what would happen. The man of Krypton had been quite helpful when it had come to subduing Derek Sheppard. Against Thanos, he would be needed, especially if the Avengers failed. Batman had been…less kind.

But Davis could tell that the man’s heart was in the right place, even if he didn’t express it the way a normal person did. The doors to the room opened and the woman from the Kree Empire walked in. She was still adorned in the uniform she had arrived in. The red sash around her waist had seen better days, that was for sure. She placed her hands on the back of the chair opposite of Benjamin, who sat back in response. He had been waiting for Director Grace so they could discuss the situation with the stones.

“Captain America.” She said. It was clear that only one of the words was familiar to her.

“I am wondering what the plan is for defeating Thanos.” She said. “I saw this man, this Thanos, when I held the Stone. I know what he is capable of.” She said. “This will not be an easy fight.”

“Agreed. I know that our planet is foreign to you and all of this has to be confusing.” Ben said. “You don’t know us well, and we’re asking you to trust us. I get it, it’s difficult.”

She nodded. The doors opened. “What then, is the plan?” She asked as people walked in.

“That’s what we’re here to discuss.” Grace said, walking in with Burke, T’Shon, and Thor. “We don’t know where Thanos is, how he will strike, or when he will strike.” Grace said. He sat down at the table, as did Burke and T’Shon.

“All we do know is that he needs what we have.” Burke said.

Thor, who had been leaning against a wall, his arms folded across his chest, looked over at Burke. “Any idea where that green robed sorcerer might be?” He asked.

“Dr. Doom?” Burke asked and shook his head. “Best guess would be Latveria, but we can’t just fly in there and start pummeling people until we get answers.” He said.

“Why not?” Cara’len asked.

“Latveria is a different country than ours.” Grace said. “We have diplomatic relations with Latveria. If any of us were to go in there, it would be an act of war, and we would be endangering the lives of our people.” He said.

Cara smiled. “I’m not from your country.” She said. “I can go in there.”

Thor’s smile grew as quickly as hers did. “I like her.” He said, pointing a finger over at Cara’len. His smile died as Benjamin shook his head. Thor gave Ben a confused look. “Son of Davis, do not spoil my fun. What is wrong with the Kree woman’s plan?”

“We’re responsible for you two.” He said.

“You are not responsible for me.” T’Shon said. “This is how this journey started for many of us, Doom invading my country. It is only fitting that this is how the end should begin as well. I will journey to Latveria and see if the Mad King will see reason.”